💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Gaming PC Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.4¢/kWh (May 2026), a gaming pc costs about $10.40 per month at typical usage — 4 hours/day.
Per hour
8.3¢
at 300–800 W
Per day
$0.34
4 hours/day
Per month
$10.40
57 kWh
Per year
$125
679 kWh
A gaming rig with a serious GPU pulls 300–800 watts during play — several times a console. Four hours a day of AAA gaming is a real line item on the bill, comparable to running a window AC unit the same hours.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
8.3¢
Per day
$0.33
Per month
$10.07
Per year
$121
Uses 55 kWh/month at 18.4¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.4 | 5.6¢ | $7.01 | $84.18 |
| Utah | 13.0 | 5.9¢ | $7.35 | $88.26 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4 | 6.0¢ | $7.58 | $90.97 |
| Nebraska | 13.6 | 6.1¢ | $7.69 | $92.33 |
| Nevada | 13.6 | 6.1¢ | $7.69 | $92.33 |
| North Dakota | 13.6 | 6.1¢ | $7.69 | $92.33 |
| Missouri | 13.7 | 6.2¢ | $7.75 | $93.01 |
| Iowa | 14.1 | 6.3¢ | $7.97 | $95.72 |
| New Mexico | 14.1 | 6.3¢ | $7.97 | $95.72 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 6.4¢ | $8.03 | $96.40 |
| Arkansas | 14.4 | 6.5¢ | $8.14 | $97.76 |
| Tennessee | 14.5 | 6.5¢ | $8.20 | $98.44 |
| Montana | 14.7 | 6.6¢ | $8.31 | $99.80 |
| Wyoming | 14.8 | 6.7¢ | $8.37 | $100 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 6.8¢ | $8.48 | $102 |
| Washington | 15.0 | 6.8¢ | $8.48 | $102 |
| Kansas | 15.1 | 6.8¢ | $8.54 | $103 |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 6.8¢ | $8.54 | $103 |
| Arizona | 15.2 | 6.8¢ | $8.59 | $103 |
| Florida | 15.2 | 6.8¢ | $8.59 | $103 |
| South Dakota | 15.7 | 7.1¢ | $8.88 | $107 |
| Georgia | 15.8 | 7.1¢ | $8.93 | $107 |
| Colorado | 16.2 | 7.3¢ | $9.16 | $110 |
| Mississippi | 16.2 | 7.3¢ | $9.16 | $110 |
| South Carolina | 16.2 | 7.3¢ | $9.16 | $110 |
| Oregon | 16.3 | 7.3¢ | $9.22 | $111 |
| Texas | 16.4 | 7.4¢ | $9.27 | $111 |
| Alabama | 16.8 | 7.6¢ | $9.50 | $114 |
| West Virginia | 16.8 | 7.6¢ | $9.50 | $114 |
| Minnesota | 17.0 | 7.7¢ | $9.61 | $115 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 7.9¢ | $9.95 | $119 |
| Indiana | 18.2 | 8.2¢ | $10.29 | $124 |
| Delaware | 19.4 | 8.7¢ | $10.97 | $132 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 8.8¢ | $11.03 | $132 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7 | 8.9¢ | $11.14 | $134 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6 | $0.10 | $12.21 | $147 |
| Maryland | 21.8 | $0.10 | $12.33 | $148 |
| Michigan | 22.0 | $0.10 | $12.44 | $149 |
| New Jersey | 23.3 | $0.10 | $13.17 | $158 |
| Illinois | 23.9 | $0.11 | $13.51 | $162 |
| Vermont | 24.9 | $0.11 | $14.08 | $169 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | $0.11 | $14.36 | $172 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3 | $0.12 | $15.44 | $185 |
| Connecticut | 27.4 | $0.12 | $15.49 | $186 |
| Alaska | 28.2 | $0.13 | $15.95 | $191 |
| Maine | 28.6 | $0.13 | $16.17 | $194 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8 | $0.13 | $16.28 | $196 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | $0.13 | $16.68 | $200 |
| New York | 29.9 | $0.13 | $16.91 | $203 |
| California | 33.3 | $0.15 | $18.83 | $226 |
| Hawaii | 52.0 | $0.23 | $29.40 | $353 |
How to lower the cost
- Cap frame rates to your monitor's refresh — uncapped menus can burn maximum wattage rendering frames you never see.
- Enable GPU power-saving for non-gaming use; browsing shouldn't cost 400 watts.
- Undervolting modern CPUs/GPUs often cuts 10–20% of power at nearly identical performance.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a gaming pc use?
A typical gaming pc draws about 450 watts in use. At 4 hours/day, that works out to roughly 1.8 kWh per day, or 57 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a gaming pc for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.4¢/kWh, one hour costs about 8.3¢. In Idaho (12.4¢/kWh) it's 5.6¢, while in Hawaii (52¢/kWh) it's $0.23.
How much does a gaming pc cost to run per month?
With typical usage (4 hours/day), expect about $10.40 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $7.01 in Idaho up to $29.40 in Hawaii. Rates are as of May 2026.
Does a gaming pc use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 6% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.